Obviously it'd be a spoiler if you answered me. But it appears pretty obvious that the Monologue before each chapter is the "Lord Ruler" talking. He started out as being a good person and things just started getting worse and worse. And/Or possibly the person that committed the deeds to become the Lord Ruler isn't necessarily the evil person acting as Lord Ruler right now?

So I just finished the book. I was pretty dang close. Going to start Book2 tomorrow!

Want to add my one confusion here. How was the Lord Ruler able to take being burned alive, decapitated, spears through the chest, and other fatal injuries with not even a flinch. But dies of old age after his bracers were removed? One would assume if you were capable of dying of old age, you are capable of dying from decapitation or anything else.... I must be missing something!

Want to add my one confusion here. How was the Lord Ruler able to take being burned alive, decapitated, spears through the chest, and other fatal injuries with not even a flinch. But dies of old age after his bracers were removed? One would assume if you were capable of dying of old age, you are capable of dying from decapitation or anything else.... I must be missing something!

IIRC he had a bunch of Feruchemical health stored up so he could heal himself very quickly. I don't remember him being decapitated but maybe he was.

Anyways, I am almost done with book and have been somewhat surprised a few times. I like it so far. I like the logical magic. Coming from Malazan it's a breath of fresh air. I do wish they

Spoiler:

didn't kill Kelsier off.

Judging from the next two book's titles and the way this one is going. My guess is he didn't exactly defeat the deepness, he probably just absorbed it. He's talking like he's afraid he will take the power for himself. Or he is the deepness incarnate? Anyways I also assumed either Vin or Kelsier was the true Hero of Ages. Something probably happens in the next book that makes Vin really powerful. At the Well of Ascension? Where now it is amazing that Kelsier could defeat one steel inquisitor, Vin at some point probably fights 3-4 at once or something(Kind of like The Matrix). There is also something to her trying to burn Saze's pewter metal. They wouldn't have mentioned it and had her try it, only to fail quickly. She can break a copper cloud, she can likely break a Keeper's metal. Lastly, for now, I believe there is a reason the skaa are so beaten down. The noble let live. We assume that the Noble are the only ones to have this Mistborn power. I can't quite figure it out, but there's something about the skaa. Maybe the instill this fear of the mist because the skaa can have power through it somehow? Vin mentions she feels like she is one w/the mist sometimes....because she is skaa/noble mixbreed mistborn? Am I close on any of these!? =)

Almost immediately after I said I bet the monologue is the Lord Rule they discovered a book that confirmed it, so I don't think he was trying to hide it much.

You're somewhat close on a couple, kind of right on one (but its not really a secret), and off on the rest. But you're looking at some of the right clues (burning metals, what is the deepness, etc).

Want to add my one confusion here. How was the Lord Ruler able to take being burned alive, decapitated, spears through the chest, and other fatal injuries with not even a flinch. But dies of old age after his bracers were removed? One would assume if you were capable of dying of old age, you are capable of dying from decapitation or anything else.... I must be missing something!

Not really missing anything. I have an answer, which I will put in spoilers. You may want to finish the series before checking it out, though at the same time, I don't think it really spoils much of anything. But finishing the series gives you a deeper insight into the importance of atium along with understanding the true natures of Allomancer and Feruchemy.

Spoiler:

*Some* of the stories of his potential demise seems to be a little exaggerated. It is not believed he was completely decapitated. Likely, he was able to use his goldmines before it was completed and heal himself. As for the other injuries, he would be able to use his stores to keep himself from death. However, when he was separated from his metalminds, the reverse effect of his delaying age caught up to him and killed him on the spot.

Well I just finished the second book. Pretty good. I did NOT expect that. Great twist!

Spoiler:

I always had a feeling that Rashek was simply misunderstood. That he meant well, just didn't execute correctly. I even think all the oppression and executions had a noble ulterior motive. It was meant to keep him in charge so he could continue to keep the evil thing at bay. Was Marsh there to try and stop Vin, so she wouldn't do what she did? Are the Inquisitors really acting in the name of "good". This may be a stretch, but did they kill all the Keepers just so that religion would stop and that thing wouldn't get released? Did the Lord Ruler banish religions because of that Evil being manipulating them? It appears so now...everything is very meticulous.

Haven't started book3 yet. But I am a little disappointed that this is the last book.

Well I just finished the second book. Pretty good. I did NOT expect that. Great twist!

Spoiler:

I always had a feeling that Rashek was simply misunderstood. That he meant well, just didn't execute correctly. I even think all the oppression and executions had a noble ulterior motive. It was meant to keep him in charge so he could continue to keep the evil thing at bay. Was Marsh there to try and stop Vin, so she wouldn't do what she did? Are the Inquisitors really acting in the name of "good". This may be a stretch, but did they kill all the Keepers just so that religion would stop and that thing wouldn't get released? Did the Lord Ruler banish religions because of that Evil being manipulating them? It appears so now...everything is very meticulous.

Haven't started book3 yet. But I am a little disappointed that this is the last book.

Last book in that cycle, the series is intended to be a trilogy of trilogies.

The stand alone Alloy of Law is also worth a read, and I believe may even be getting a sequel.

Last book in that cycle, the series is intended to be a trilogy of trilogies.

The stand alone Alloy of Law is also worth a read, and I believe may even be getting a sequel.

Well, that's good to hear. I will definitely read any more books set in this world. I also plan to read StormLight once more books are released. I have the first already. And his finishing of the WoT series is nothing short of spectacular. Might be my second favorite author right now next to Abercrombie. I am a very "new school" reader, I don't seem to mesh well with the older style authors like LeGuin and the bunch. Well see though, still have many more books to read!

Reading The Way of Kings was a blessing and a curse for me. The book was absolutely fantastic but now I have to wait for book 2 and every other book in the series. Hopefully Sanderson can get book 2 finished on time

I haven't updated it in awhile, but that was my list as of like 9mo ago.

Ahh, Night Angel is terrible. The author seems cool, but the writing was too bad. I know he has a lot of fans but I would
Imagine that they are the R. A Salvatore crowd. I would prefer R. A to him, as bad as that sounds.
The rest of that list is great.